Bad Math
by K'onix
Summary: In a school where different is bad, Mariah thives on it. But as a favor to her favorite teacher, that may change. Starting with Ray and a few tutoring sessions. RayxMar. Bad Summay
1. Day One: Failure

-1New story. I'm expecting it to be very short. I'm still working on I'm Listening for those who are waiting for it. This chapter is about seven pages long, but don't expect all of them to be. I think it's just because I'm setting things up.

I really shouldn't be updating this, but I need something else to focus on.

This is my first RayxMar story, so everyone is OOC. But that should be the least of your worries. As always, watch for my many mistakes.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

* * *

Bad Math

The pounding of her feet and the lead voice from her favorite band were the only things Mariah focused on. Once, her P.E. teacher said that when exercising, they should listen to relaxing music. Mariah didn't know why, but she could do that. When someone was screaming at her, it made her run faster. Almost as if she was trying to keep up with heavy rhythm.

Mariah smiled to herself. Just as the album was reaching its last song, she approached her last hundred or so yards. Picking up speed, she raced the song to her front door, her long bright pink hair whipping behind her.

Her feet drummed through the doorway just before the song finished. Happy that she won the challenge, Mariah grabbed a new bottle of water and bounded to her room in the basement to get ready for the school day ahead.

Mariah was drying her waist length hair after her refreshing shower when the phone rang. Rolling her eyes at the timing she turned down her blaring music and made a quick grab for the cordless before it went to the message machine.

"Hey, Lee, how's my college student?" she asked in a baby voice. Only her big brother would call while she was drying off.

"He's fine," She could practically hear Lee rolling his dark golden eyes. "Just checking in. How are you?"

"Good, although you have awful timing. I was just drying my hair."

"…you're not, you know, unclothed are you?" Mariah could almost die of laughter at the tone in his voice. He could talk about the most disgusting things with his friends, but he thought of talking to his sister over the phone while she was naked disturbed him.

"No," she answered truthfully. "I'm in my underwear. Pink bra and thong."

"That's it, I'm hanging up. Tell mom and dad I called!"

"I'm kidding!" Mariah laughed, trying to run a brush through her bushy hair and balance the phone between her ear and shoulder at the same time. "I'm fully dressed."

"Whatever, I still have to go," Lee said gruffly, clearly uncomfortable. "I've got a test later today."

Mariah was just about to say goodbye to her dearest brother when she heard a girly moan. Her own light honey eyes widened. "Lee, was that a girl?"

"…NO!"

Mariah smiled. He was so funny sometimes. He always tried to protect his "innocent little sister." Like she couldn't tell what had happened.

"Okay, Lee, if you say so." she said in her little sister voice. Quickly dropping the childish act, she added, "You should get some sleep. You've got a test today, and it sounds like you didn't get much last night. Bye!"

She hung up on her brother just as he was about to protest. Mariah shrugged. Let him believe that she was too young to understand anything about "it." He was happier thinking that than the alternative -- which was that she was a slut. She wasn't a slut, but she wasn't as completely innocent as her brother would like to believe. Still, there was no reason to go around announcing that, was there?

Turning her music back up, she finished getting ready. She made sure that she had all of her books for school and car keys before heading back up stairs. Grabbing her money for lunch, she walked through the kitchen to get another bottle of water. Her parents had just found this new brand and it was strangely addicting. She walked to the front door, shifting her backpack until it was comfortable on her shoulder. Mariah locked the door as the stereo's timer turning the loud music off; there was a reason she had the basement.

Mariah made the easy drive to school. It wasn't very far, but she hated walking there and running with her backpack wasn't something she enjoyed, either. She had never really looked forward to school. Being who she was, she didn't have very many friends, and she always had to watch for boys who thought she was an easy lay. It wasn't a reputation that any girl like her would like.

Getting out of her car, she walked straight to her locker, saying "Hi," to the few people along the way. While most girls' lockers were decorated with pictures of their boyfriends or the Hottest Hottie currently in all the magazines, hers was full of her favorite bands, pictures of her favorite book covers, and random words that she'd found funny. Mariah loved her locker door. She would be sad when she had to empty it for good.

The pink-haired girl exchanged her books just in time for the bell and headed of to English class. It was one of her least favorite subjects. Coming in before Biology but right after World History. At least in that class she got to mentally doze off.

Just when Mariah thought she couldn't dislike English any more that she already did, she was proven wrong. There was a question on the whiteboard.

'What is wrong with this sentence?' Mariah read. "'do you lived in straight st.?'"

Mariah could already imagine what she was going to hear all day long.

"Do you live on Straight street?"

"Naw, man, my street curves a little." Laugh, laugh, laugh. Ha, ha, ha.

Mariah rolled her eyes and took her seat in the back of the class. Hopefully it wouldn't catch on until later in the day.

"Hey, dude, I live on Straight Street. Do you?"

Nope, fate was going to be cruel…and so were the stupid idiots.

* * *

Math! Finally!

Mariah worked her happy dance in her head as she walked through the shining threshold. Was it just her, or did the door to her math class actually look brighter than all the others?

Math is her favorite and best subject. She loved, loved, loved, math. Everything just clicked for her. Which she found just a little weird since everyone else in her family sucked at math. Mariah found her seat in the middle of the front row and took out her notebook. The notebook was bigger than all her others. Mostly because she took more notes and doodled less. That could be why it was also neater…

Ah, she loved math!

Mariah gave her teacher a bright smile as the other students filed in. Her and the teacher had a good teacher/student relationship. It came in handy when she needed to put her math on hold to catch up in her other subjects…like English.

"Psst, do you live on Straight street?" Giggle, giggle, giggle.

"My street is so straight!" Snort, snort, snort.

Mariah was thankful when Ms. Conner cleared her throat and addressed the class.

"I'm glad everyone could make it today," she said in her sarcastic voice. Clearly, she had had one to many smart remarks already that day. Or maybe she was just like Mariah, and was tired of Straight Street. "As you know, we are starting the next lesson plan today and I would like all of you to pay perfect attention to what I have to say. I am tired of answering the same questions lesson after lesson."

Mariah was watching her teacher intently as she went over what they were going to be doing for the next few weeks, when test were, and when their lesson project was due, making sure to mark each date in her notebook. This was the only class she paid attention to and she'd be damned if she missed something just because she forgot to right it down.

All too soon, class came to an end. There was only one class left for the day and Mariah was ready to get the day over with. In her honest opinion, there really wasn't any reason to stay after math class.

"Uh, Mariah, may I speak to you before you leave?" the teacher asked as Mariah packed up her stuff. "I can write you a pass."

Mariah jumped at the chance to stay in the classroom longer. She really didn't need to be on time for her next class…what was it again?

"What do you need?" Mariah eagerly asked.

"I was wondering if you had any free time," Ms. Conner started, her blue eyes narrowing on Mariah behind her thin glasses in a very serious manner. It made Mariah slightly nervous, yet even more intrigued.

Light honey eyes grew large in excitement, the pupils narrowing to slits. "For what?"

"I need you to tutor someone for me."

Mariah's face fell. Mariah wasn't big on the tutoring idea. She found it nearly impossible to sit with some who already didn't understand the subject and wasn't trying to. But she didn't want to disappoint her favorite teacher.

" Who?" she asked.

"Ray Kon." The honest expression on the teacher's face was what caused Mariah to laugh very loudly.

Mariah stopped laughing when she took a good look at her teacher's upset expression. "…Oh, you were serious."

"I don't understand what was so funny about that." The tick in her jaw showed just how angry she was.

Mariah's shoulders slumped as she tried to find a way to explain. "It's just that he's so…perfect. He does everything everyone asks him to do. And he does it right the first time. And with a smile on his face. That's not natural. He just doesn't strike me as the type to need a tutor."

"Well, that shows just how much you don't know about him," the teacher stated. "He is a very good student, but lately has been, well, lacking in math. He's not a perfect student and has been struggling for a while, usually sliding by with a C. However, recently his grade as dropped. I think it's time to get him some help."

Mariah took this in. Okay, so he wasn't as perfect as he seemed. But then again who was? "Are you sure there isn't anyone else?"

"Oh, there's plenty of others who could tutor him. But I figured since he had fine grades in everything but math and you have…sad grades in everything but math, you'd work perfectly."

"So, I tutor him and he tutors me?" Mariah asked.

"Are you looking for a tutor?"

Mariah shook her head.

"Then, no." Ms. Conner shrugged. "He came to me asking for help. Now, if you were to come to me, then that'd be another story."

"No, thanks," said Mariah. "I'm good with my Cs."

"Well, then," the older woman stood up. "are you taking the job, or not?"

Mariah thought about it. Was it really worth her time to tutor Ray Kon, practically prince of the school? "Sure, why not?"

"Great," the teacher gave a knowing smile. "I will tell him tomorrow. Hopefully you can work out a schedule."

Mariah nodded. "Ask him if he can meet me in the library tomorrow after school, for me, will you?"

The teacher nodded, her light brown hair shaking around her face with the movement. "Will do."

Mariah wasn't sure what she'd just agreed to, but it didn't seem good. She was giving up valuable time to teach someone math. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad.

* * *

The next day went by slow after she got to school. Her morning jog and teasing Lee session went by so fast that she thought it might actually be a good day. But, sadly, the student still weren't off the Straight Street joke. Mariah swore she was going to shout next time she heard it.

"Mariah?" She heard someone ask.

Whipping her head around to face the person, her long pink hair licking the person in the process. "What?" she snapped, only to realized it was her math teacher. Smoothing out her shirt, she tried again more politly. "What can I do for you?"

Her teacher gave her a tight smile. "I just thought that you might want to know that Ray said he would be able to met you in the library."

Mariah was confused for a moment. Why would Ray Kon like to met her in the library? Then it all came back to her. "Right, because he sucks at math."

"Mariah," the teacher chastised. "Nobody sucks at math. They simply do not understand it. But with the right help, they can."

"Yeah, tell that to my brother." Mariah joked.

The teacher rolled her blue eyes before giving a tired sigh. "I did. For four years."

Mariah's smile fell. "Oh,"

In the library later that day Mariah tried to find the boy. She didn't know to the library and found herself lost in horror, which, strangely, flowed into romance. Mariah took a moment to laugh at the thought of the two being near each other. What most didn't realize, was that for many, they were a lot closer than they thought.

She found Ray by spotting his shiny black mop, pulled into its usual long pony tail in the back. As she walked closer, she could tell that he was bent over reading something intently. Looking over his should, she found it to be a book she didn't recognize.

"Good book?" she asked, shocking him.

After he managed to slow his heart down, Ray turned to look at his pink haired tutor. "I wouldn't know," he said, answering her question. "I'm only in the first chapter."

Mariah shrugged. "Do you like it so far?"

"So far?" Ray asked. Mariah nodded. "So far nothing's happened, so I'm bored."

Mariah smiled. "Great time to start math then, as long as I'm not dragging you away."

Ray smiled back. "Perfect timing," he agreed.

"Okay," Mariah sighed as she sat down across from him. "what do you need help with?"

Ray gave her a confused look. "I thought she told you that I need help with math."

"No, no," Mariah waved her hand, dismissing the confusion. "I know that. What part of math?"

Clearly, confusion wanted to stay. Ray looked at her. "All of it."

Mariah searched his face for any sign of joking. There was none. Something then dawned on her. "Wow, never thought I'd have one of those conversations."

"I'm sorry, what?" asked Ray.

"One of the obviously stupid conversations."

"Hey!" said Ray, offended, narrowing his dark gold eyes at her.

Mariah rolled her own eyes. "I don't mean you. I mean the conversation. Like, there's a man lost in the woods. Luckily, he has a cell phone.

He calls his friend as is, like, 'Hey, I'm lost.'

His friend says, 'Well, where are you?'

And the lost guy says, 'That's the point. I'm lost.'

Obviously stupid conversations. In this case, I'm the man not lost."

As Ray tired to follow her train of thought he found himself confused again. "Wait, I'm lost."

Mariah nodded. "Exactly."

"What?"

Mariah looked at him. He was so uncomfortable here. "Maybe we should start before it gets too late."

"Yeah, good idea." Ray agreed, ready to drop the previous conversation. No wonder nobody talked to her. She was just weird.

"Where do you want to start?" Mariah asked in a very business like manner.

Ray was prepared. "Well, I brought some of my recent test, so maybe you can see what I'm missing the most."

Mariah furrowed her eyebrows. "You save your test?"

"Yeah, don't you?" Mariah shook her head. "The teachers tell us to do that in case they miss a grade or something."

Mariah almost laughed. "Do you also wipe down your food tray like the lunch staff asks you?"

Ray gave her a guilty look.

"Seriously?" Mariah asked. "Do you do anything anyone with authority tells you to?"

"Yes, why wouldn't I?" Ray asked as he continued his search for his test. He heard the girl across from him heave a heavy sigh. "What? It's not like I'm doing anything wrong. I'm following the rules."

"You know, just because they tell you something's wrong or right doesn't mean it is." Mariah said, her eyes downcast towards the table they were sitting at.

Ray shook his head in disbelief. "So you're telling me that just because I follow some simple rules, I'm an idiot?"

Mariah shook her head. "No, you can follow the rules, but do them because you want to."

"Whatever," Ray whispered to himself.

Mariah heard him, unfortunately. "Can I ask you something?" she asked. Not waiting for a reply, she asked, "Why do you want a tutor?"

"Because I had a D." Ray answered, slightly embarrassed in having to admit it. "I've turned in all the assignments and my test scores are low. I need to learn this somehow, and working by myself isn't helping."

Mariah shrugged, throwing off his excuse. "A D's passing."

"Not to my parents." Ray sighed. His parents were actually very upset with his unusually low grade.

"Why do you care what they think?"

Ray scoffed at his "tutor." "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Mariah said. "Why do you care what they think?" she repeated.

"They're my parents," Ray pushed, "I'm supposed to care about what they think."

"Really? You're supposed to?" Mariah asked sarcastically.

Ray rose to the challenge. "Yeah. Not all of us have parents who obviously just don't care about them."

Mariah looked at the boy, gritting her teeth. "Fine then. Be a suck-up!" she shouted as she grabbed her stuff. She didn't know what she even thought she could spend her time with someone like him. All he did was try to be perfect for someone other than himself. What was the point in a life like that?

* * *

Wow, that was a first chapter! I hope you liked it. If you did, I'll update. Like I said, I'm expecting it to be short. Something within ten to fifteen chapters. Thank you for reading, and if you do, reviewing. If you have any problems or noticed any my many mistakes, review or PM me. Either works.

Thank you.


	2. Try, try again

Chapter two. I'm happy with the amount of reviews I got. It was more than I was expecting. I really hope that you readers like this chapter. There's a little more of Ray in it.

Disclaimer: Don't own.

* * *

Ray watched Mariah as she practically marched away, her pink hair bright against her black tee-shirt. He closed his eyes and tried to control the anger he felt rise up in him. When his teacher came to him and said that Mariah was going to tutor him, he was confused. He'd never talked to the girl, barely ever saw her, so it made since that he'd never really thought of her. Besides, she didn't seem that she was all that good at anything. Of course he didn't know her, but still.

He left the library, still upset that he thought that she could possible anything but what the others had said about her. Outside the school, his friend Tyson was waiting. Much to Ray's surprise, he was actually doing his homework.

"Did Hilary get to you?" Ray asked, scaring Tyson.

Tyson looked up at his friend. "Yeah, she was complaining again." He paused, looking Ray up and down. "So that was pretty fast. You're tutor so good that she taught you everything in ten minutes?"

Ray narrowed his eyes at the thought. "No," he answered in a growl, "She jumped on me about listening to my parents, like it's against the law or out of this world or something."

"See, I told you, that girl's insane." Tyson smiled, clearly proud the he got something right. "You be sure to tell Hilary that I called this one."

Ray was hardly listening to him. "Yeah, whatever."

Tyson looked over to his friend as they walked toward their block. "Dude, what's wrong?"

The golden eyed boy shrugged his shoulder. "I don't know," he said, "Mariah said something about being a suck-up."

Tyson rolled his blue eyes. "I wouldn't listen to a word that girl says. She's not all there, you know."

"Tyson, you don't listen to a word anyone says."

"True, but not the point." Tyson replied. "Anyway, you're not a suck-up, so don't mind her."

"Yeah, I guess." Ray thought about it. She didn't really know him enough to call him a suck-up.

"You know what, call Hilary!" Tyson suggested. Ray turned to look at him, eyes wide with shock. "I can't be believe I just said that," the blue haired boy whispered to himself.

Ray sighed. "Why should I call Hilary, anyway?"

"Because, she'll spend a good ten to twenty minutes listing all your good qualities." the other answered. "Usually she only spends about two minutes telling me that my strong will and spirit will come in handy someday. The other eight she tells me that my pig-headedness will be my downfall, whatever that means."

Ray ignored Tyson's rambling about how Hilary didn't really know him all that well. It was the same thing every time he talked about the annoying brunette.

Saying goodbye to his friend, Ray walked up to his front door, the smell of dinner already wafting around the living room.

"Hey, Mom!" Ray called out as he set his backpack down beside the coach. He walked into the kitchen and found his mom standing over the stove stirring something.

"How was your day, Raymond?" she asked pleasantly, smiling at him from over her shoulder. Ray had long given up trying to get her to call him just Ray.

Ray took a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with milk. Sitting down in one of the bar stools, he watched his mom cook. "Fine. Nothing much happened." he answered.

"Did you get a tutor?" She glanced up to her son. "You know what we said, Raymond. If you don't get that grade up, you can forget that trip to your uncle's this summer."

Ray looked round the room, trying to figure out how to answer his mother's question. "Yes, I got a tutor."

Mrs. Kon raised an eyebrow towards the boy who was avoid eye contact. "And? How'd it go?"

"…Interesting…"

She sighed. "Fine, Raymond, you don't want to tell me, I won't pry. You know the risk; I'm leaving it in your hands. Now, go up stairs and finish your homework. I'll call you when dinner's done."

"Yes, Mom." Ray slid off the stool. Grabbing his backpack from the living room, he went up stairs to his bedroom. It was a very orderly room, with everything in his place. Last time he let it get messy, his mom took away half of his wardrobe, or at least everything on the floor. Needless to say, with his most of his clothes gone, his choices left were not to his taste or didn't fit. That was a miserable week.

Ray did his homework as he was told and waited for his mom to call him down for dinner. He was almost done until he came to his math work. Looking over it, all he could see where numbers and unfamiliar shapes. Taking out his notes, he tried to make sense of them. Ray closed his eyes, set his work down, and took a deep breath. Every week the homework just got harder. At this rate, he'd never catch up. What was he going to do? Maybe tomorrow the teacher would have a new tutor for him. One that wasn't so crazy…

* * *

Ray found himself waiting in the library again for the second time that week. He was reading the book that he had picked up the day before as he waited for his new tutor. At one point, he got the feeling that he was taking part in a dating service.

Suddenly, a pile of books slammed down on the table, making it quiver under the unexpected weight. Ray looked up instantly.

"Well, I'm here," Mariah sighed, pulling out the blue plastic chair and plopping down in it.

Ray, alarmed, looked around the room. Other than the glare from the librarian, nobody seemed to notice. Turning back to Mariah, he said, "What are you doing here?"

Mariah groaned, "We're not going to have one of those obviously stupid conversations again, are we? Because, I've got to tell you, one a week is enough. Yeah, you can overdo them."

Ray shook his head. "No, I mean here. I thought that you weren't going to tutor, oh what was it--" he put his hand to his chin in a thinking motion "--oh, yeah, a 'suck-up'."

"I never said that I was going to stop tutoring you," Mariah clarified.

"Well, too late," Ray said. "I already asked for another tutor."

Mariah rolled her eyes. "What is this? Three minute dating?"

Ray almost jumped at what she said. It was too close to what he was thinking just moments before she showed up.

"Anyways, the person you waiting for is me." Mariah explained to the boy. "I asked if I could have a second chance."

"Why?"

"Because I think we got off on the wrong foot." she said. "We could make this work. We just have to focus on math, and nothing else."

"Fine," Ray sighed, giving up. "let's get started."

Mariah smiled at him. "Great. Now, before you pull out those pathetic test of yours,--" Mariah carefully ignored Ray's glare "--I want you to work on these problems for me." She handed him a sheet of paper that had a total of nine word problems on it. "You can you us a pencil if you need to."

Ray nodded and started on the task. When he finished he handed the page back to Mariah, who while he was working made a coodie-catcher. Putting her toy down, she went over Ray's answers.

"Nice handwriting," she said, offhanded, earning a small thanks from Ray. "All right, you've got some right, but most wrong." Ray groaned as he shrunk in his chair. "Hey, sit up; that pitiful attitude is not going to help! Now, I know what you're thinking, and you're wrong. Look here,"

Mariah showed him one the problems he'd just worked on. Ray read the problem. "A farmer has four and seven-ninth haystacks in one corner and five and two-ninth haystack in another. If he puts them all together, how many haystacks will he have?" Ray looked over at his answer. "Ten haystacks. Where'd I go wrong."

Mariah sighed. "Technically you didn't. The math is right, but read it again."

Ray gave her a confused look before reading the problem again in his head. Instantly he realized what he did. "Not ten haystacks," he said, smirking, "but just one large haystack."

Mariah beamed at him. "Exactly!"

"It was a riddle."

"Yes." Mariah nodded, sticking her tongue out at him playfully. "Now that you know, would you like to try the others that you got wrong?"

Ray nodded and again set to work the problems. Minutes later, just as Mariah was finishing filling out her paper game, he gave her the worksheet back. After going over his answers, Mariah looked up at him emotionlessly. Ray got the sudden feeling that she was going to jump over the table and strangle him with her bare hands.

Then, she smiled. "It's perfect. You should have seen your face, though." she laughed.

Ray let out a hesitant sigh of relief. This girl…she was something.

* * *

The rest of the study session went by smoothly. Mariah found that it wasn't that Ray didn't completely understand what was going on, he just need some extra time to learn it. She found that, and he wasn't as amused by her jokes as much as she was.

As they walked the empty halls of the school towards the parking lot, Mariah offered Ray a ride home.

"Oh, that's okay," Ray smiled. "I live just around the corner."

Mariah ignored his answer in favor of her own. "That's good. I won't be going too far out of my way then."

Ray shook her head. She didn't really listen to anything he had said if it didn't agree with her. Deciding not to fight (only because he'd probably lose.), he followed Mariah to her car. He could barely contain a wide grin as he waited for her to unlock the passenger door.

"Something funny?" she asked, seeing the corners of his mouth twitch.

"I'm surprised it's not pink, is all." he answered honestly. The car was in fact a bright blue that stood out. He'd always wondered who owned it and was a little shamed that he didn't think of Mariah earlier.

"Blue is a very nice color," Mariah commented, pulling out of the lot quickly. With no other cars around, she didn't watch her speed at all.

"Yes," Ray agreed, not really knowing what to say about the particular shade. "It's very…loud."

Mariah smirked to herself. "I like loud,"

Ray looked at the driver. Her pink hair was down today, and blowing wildly on the left side, almost out the window. The honey eyes gleamed against the black mascara and eyeliner. The baggy dark brown tee-shirt with some sort of band on it cut off at her thigh and lead into black pants. If Ray didn't know any better, he would have said she was a normal teenage girl.

Mariah spared him a look as they stopped for a sign. "Something good catch your eye?" she said smugly.

Quick to cover himself, Ray motioned to her shirt. "That your favorite band?"

Mariah looked down and laughed. "No," she giggled. "I won this off a dare from my brother. You see, he used to ware this thing all the time, so, of course, it smelled like him. When he went away from the summer or something, I would always ask him to leave it for me. He never did, the selfish pig.

Last year, before he went off to college, we stay up late and just talked. He dared me to do something that I won't repeat here, and in return I got his shirt. With this shirt as the prize, I would have done just about anything."

Ray smiled at the story. "So you and your bother are close?" Ray could vaguely remember her Lee. He was big, and overprotect of the girl next to him, but any overall nice guy.

"He still thinks of me as his little baby sister, so every once in a while, I have to beat it into him that I can handle my own. But, other than that, yeah, were closer than most."

Ray busted with laughter when she finished. Mariah couldn't figure out what the usually composed guy across from her was laughing about. Thinking about what she said, she started laughing too.

In a completely serious voice, she said, "I mean that in a non-sexual way, you sick-o!"

"Hey, you're the one who said it," Ray defended himself, quietly chuckling. She'd just been so calm while saying it, that it was funny.

"Still," Mariah said, leaving it hanging.

"Okay, I have a question," Ray said suddenly after he stopped laughing.

Mariah nodded. "Shoot."

"Yesterday you jumped on me for simply following the rules. Care to explain."

Mariah sighed. She didn't usually have to explain herself, and she didn't like to; it felt like she was in the spot light for the wrong reason.

"It just seemed that you were doing everything, so much stuff, for everyone but yourself. You kept the test because the teachers told you to, not because it was something you simply wanted to do. You got a tutor because your mommy wanted you to do better, when you already to so good in everything else. I don't know what it is, but when I hear stuff like that, it just makes me mad. What's the point of living a life for anyone but yourself?"

Ray nodded in understanding. "All right, but that's where you're wrong. I'm not doing it just for my parents." He smirked at her look of surprise. "If I don't bring my grade up, I don't' get to spend the summer with my uncle."

"Ah, see if you had said that yesterday, everything would have been fine."

"Another question?" Ray asked, looking around."What?"

"Where are we going?

Mariah chuckled. She'd been waited for him to catch on. "Well, since you never told me were you live, I decided I was going to get me something to eat."

Ray gaped. "You never asked!"

"I offered you a ride home." Mariah said, "Did you just assume that I knew where you live. You do know what they say about people who assume, don't you."

Ray sighed in dismay. Why'd he get in the car again? Oh, yeah, a pushy pink-haired freak. "Yeah, that talk came right after the 'no hitting' one but months before 'sex will kill you.'"

Mariah almost crashed her car laughing so hard. Ray, in turned, laughed at her face. She was just laughing so hard that it was impossible not to. Besides, laughing is contagious, right?

They pulled into a small restaurant, Mariah still laughing as she unbuckled herself. "Sex will kill you! Ha. That's a good one."

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Ray said, "I, on the other hand, couldn't stop blushing for a week."

"Did your parents really tell you that sex would kill you?" she asked as she held the door open for him.

"Yes."

"Well, you're clearly still alive, so…"

Ray rolled his eyes. "That isn't your business."

"All right," She nodded, "Sit over there, I'll be right back."

Ray sat in a corner seat. Looking around at the unusual place, he was surprised to find that he felt unbelievably calm. It was a small place, very quiet. Mariah came back with two trays. Ray took a small bite of his food, chewing it slowly as Mariah watched with curious honey dipped eyes. He swallowed, holding an emotionless expression.

Mariah cocked a pink eyebrow. "So?"

"Interesting…"

"Interesting good or interesting bad?"

Ray took another bite. "I'm not sure,'

Mariah glared playfully at the boy. "Well, but better find out, because you're not leaving that spot until you do."

Ray smiled. "It's good."

Mariah took a bite of her own. "Yeah, I know."

After their dinner, Mariah finally drove Ray home. She pulled up to the curb as Ray unbuckled his belt and grabbed his bag.

"Nice house," she commented as she admired the large structure.

"It's not mine," he replied, his eyes observing the same thing as hers, but with a very different perspective.

Mariah's eyes shifted from the house to him. "You're not one of those pathetic people who are always complaining about how they don't have a home, are you?"

Ray smiled. "No, it's my home," he said, "but not my house; not my taste. I would have picked something much smaller."

"You like the closeness of a small house?" Mariah guessed.

"The coziness, yeah." Ray nodded in agreement. "A large house like this is much too big for just three people."

"I understand. I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

Ray smiled and nodded as he shut the car door. Mariah took off as he made his way to the door.

"I'm home," he called out as he walked into his home.

"You're late." his mother corrected from the kitchen area.

"Tutoring ran late," he explained as he joined his mother.

His mother eyed him with her own gold eyes. Her black hair was up in its usual elegant style and she had an apron to protect her nice clothes like always.

After observing her son, she clicked her tongue, "All right, if that's what you say. Dinner will be ready soon, so go upstairs and clean up."

"Actually," Ray said, "I'm not very hungry right now."

"Fine," his mother snapped as she stirred something quickly. "Then just go upstairs; finish your homework."

"Yes, Mother," Ray sighed. She had always been like that. Always very distant.

Mariah entered her home with a bang and a smile.

"Hey, everyone! I'm Back!" she shouted.

"Hey, Mi'ah," Her mother called down from the stairs. "Have you had dinner yet?"

Mariah smiled. How she hated that nickname, but leave it to her mother to refuse to give up her kiddy names. "Yeah, I ate already. Wednesdays. It was good."

"That's nice," her mother answered as she entered from the stairs. "Your dad's home early tonight, so we were about watch a movie. Join us?"

"I'd love to," Mariah said as she headed for the basement door, "Just let me put this stuff in my room first."

"That's fine," the pink-haired mother said as she sat gracefully on the couch.

Mariah rushed down the narrow staircase. It was rare that her father come home early, making movie nights even rarer. Throwing her book bag on her bed careless, she turned and ran back up the stairs, taking two at a time. Even with her brother gone, she loved movie nights the most. When she reached the couch, she found her dad already sitting with his arm around her mother as she snuggled up to him under the blanket. Mariah took her seat on the loveseat and covered herself with the light blue throw blanket.

"Oh, Dad," Mariah suddenly remembered during the previews, "Thanks for your advice on my problem with Ray. It helped."

Her dad smiled. "Glad to be of service to you."

Mariah settled in. She couldn't imagine living in any other situation and being expected to survive it.

* * *

So that's chapter two. Sorry for mistakes.

Basically, I know where I want this story to head, but I still have a few kinks to work out. And don't worry, Mariah's life doesn't isn't as perfect as it seems right now. That's something I'm really big in currently. Making every ones' life seem perfect, but having real problems on the inside, or even with themselves. So that's something to look forward to.

Thank you to those who reviewed. Like I said before, this is my first MariahxRay so I didn't know how it would go over. Please review again, if you'd like.

Thank you readers.


	3. A different side

Hey, guys. Sorry for the wait. I'll try to prevent that from now on. I broke my own rule about only having one story at a time since I was a bad updater before. Anyway, it's here now, so please enjoy.

I am happy to say that this story is helping me with flow, so that they're not so choppy, if you know what I mean.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

* * *

Ray was excited. He received a high C on his test and couldn't wait to tell Mariah. He was sitting at the lunch table with Hilary and Tyson, who were arguing over the health value of the school salad, and could barely keep the smile off his face.

"I'm serious, Tyson, you keep eating the way to do and you'll be so sorry." informed Hilary, crossing her arms of her chest and turning her head.

Tyson responded by shoving a burger in his mouth and saying, "It doesn't matter, right? You got to die one day,"

"Yeah, but you'll die fat." muttered Hilary under her breath.

Tyson disagreed. No way he would die fat. Hilary rolled her eyes, deciding Ray would be a better conversationalist.

"So, Ray, what's going on with you?" she asked.

"I got a C!" he announced happily.

Hilary and Tyson both smiled brightly at him. "Oh that's great, Ray." cheered Hilary. "I knew you could do it."

"Yeah, and you didn't need even need that pink haired freak." Tyson added.

Ray glanced at him, his smile fell from his face. "Actually, Mariah is the reason."

Tyson looked to Hilary then back to Ray. "But I thought that you said that…"

"Well, we worked it out," explained Ray, shrugging it off. This time when Tyson looked at Hilary, they shared a private look.

Ray's golden eyes shifted between them. "What? What is it?"

Hilary took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Look, Ray, you know we don't mind…others. It's just that Mariah is…"

"Weird." Tyson finished bluntly. Ray looked at Hilary. She nodded slightly, her expression guilty.

"I can't believe this," said Ray, "you don't even know her and yet you're going to judge."

Hilary scoffed. "What's to judge? Have you seen the clothes she wears or heard the things she said. She's beyond weird; she's worse. "

Ray was astonished. "So what? She says some things that don't make sense and her opinions are different, but that doesn't mean she's…not human."

Hilary and Tyson stayed quite, not sure what to say.

"You know what? Fine." Ray picked up his lunch tray. "It's fine. You don't know her; don't want to know her. You're just going to think what you want. That's fine. But the truth is that she helped me raise my grade, and she's fun, and you'll never know that."

Ray walked away from his two friends, not bothering to wave or nod to those who greeted him. After dumping his tray in the trash he walked through the halls towards the gym. The gym led to the benches where Mariah and a few others hung out. Ray found her sitting by herself, writing something.

"Hey," called Ray as he walked up the bleachers.

Mariah looked up from her hunched positions. Even her golden eyes were smiling as she greeted him. "Ray! What are you doing here? Friends absent?"

Ray shook his head. "Just needed a change. And I wanted to see you. I got a C!"

"That's great, Ray." Mariah said, tapping him one the arm lightly. "I knew you had it in you."

"All because of you," Ray rolled his eyes.

"No," Mariah shook her head, pink hair flying everywhere. "You learned it. It's harder to learn something that you really don't understand than teach something that you do. This is all you."

Ray gave a shy smile. "Thanks,"

"So," Mariah started, giving he a sly, knowing smile. "you needed a change?"

Ray sighed. Mariah could always see right through him. "My friends aren't as…open minded as I would like them to be. Or less than they think they are."

Mariah offered him a carrot stick from a small bag. "What do you mean?"

"I told them that you helped me with my grade, and they weren't as accepting as I thought they'd be." Ray explained. "Disappointing."

"Oh, Ray, thank you for trying to defend me," Mariah gushed. "But the truth is that people will never be very accepting of me. I'm different."

Ray nodded, snapping off a piece of carrot. "But that's exactly why they should like you,"

Mariah nodded and shrugged. "Should, but don't. And that's fine. If people started acting differently towards me now, I'd be a little freaked out."

Ray looked at her. "You are so much smarter than me."

"Really? What is smart?" Mariah asked. "Is smart As and Bs, or is smart standing up for what you believe in?"

"I guess both,"

"Is smart not caring what others think or wanting friends?"

"What does one have to do with the other?"

"Most of the time, people care to much because they want friends," Mariah explained. "It happens."

Ray thought about his. "I don't know."

"It doesn't matter," Mariah shrugged. "It's fun just to live life the way you want to."

"I wish I could be like that," Ray said.

"What's stopping you?"

"I don't really know," he said, lost in thought. Suddenly, his life seemed too plain.

Mariah opened her mouth to say something, but the warning bell interrupted her.

"I'll see you tomorrow?" Ray asked as he stood up.

Mariah smiled and nodded. "Tomorrow. And be prepared to work. You've got a C, you got to keep."

Ray returned her smile and nod. She watched him walk away before collecting her items. He is a good guy, she thought to herself with a small smile.

* * *

"Here you go, Ray," Hilary said later that day as she handed him a glass of water.

Ray slightly nodded. "Thanks," he said somewhat coldly.

Hilary was having no trouble picking up on the cold vide he was sending her. She figured it had to do with that afternoon. In fact, she was surprised when he showed up at her door, reminding her that he said he'd help her with a project.

"No problem," she whispered. Deciding that not talking wasn't helping her, she tried to act like nothing was amiss. "So, thanks for helping me, Ray. I know you've got your own studies and all, so it's nice that you could take the time out."

"That's what friends are for, right?" he asked, still not lifting his head from the paper he was reading.

"Right," Hilary agreed.

Silence reigned over the small room.

Hilary sighed. Things couldn't go on like this. She needed Ray's mind, logic and reason, in her life. "Ray, I really sorry about this afternoon. You just took us by surprise, is all."

"Surprise?" Ray finally looked up, offence covering every inch of his face. "You acted like she was a leper. Like I was telling you that she was having my baby, not that she was tutoring me."

"She's different from us, Ray," Hilary tried, "And you're the most normal guy I know. I was just shocked, I swear!"

"Really?" Ray asked, clearly not believing her. "So if I invited her to hang out with us, you wouldn't mind?"

"I would mind,"

"Why?"

"Because I don't like her. We have nothing in common," Hilary tried to explain. "We're too different."

"How would you know?"

"Have you seen her?"

"I've seen her, listened to her, and learned from her." Ray said, packing up his stuff. "And I've learned that it's not all right to judge people before talking to them."

Hilary watched as Ray walked to her front door. Before walking out he turned back to her. "And you do have something in common. Both of you have have a strong personality; that's something I admire."

Hilary jumped slightly at the loud bang of the door. She put her hand in her hands and leaned on the table. That could have gone better.

* * *

Hilary sat in her favorite booth in her favorite place. The food was good, the atmosphere was good, and people left her to think. Most of the time.

She had been reading one of the books from the collection the small place held when a guy sat down across from her. Putting the book down, she stared at the guy. Nice face, charming smile, good neck. Scum bag.

"Not interested." she said firmly as she raised the book again.

"Oh, come on, you don't even know my name," he laughed, pulling her book down.

Hilary glared. "And I don't want to."

"You sure about that?"

"Oh, she's sure," Another person slid on Hilary's side, throwing an arm around her. Hilary had to barely turn her head to see pink hair contrasting brightly against a blue shirt. Mariah turned faced her, her golden eyes laughing with delight. "Sorry I'm late, Hil. Traffic."

Hilary stared, dumbfounded.

"So," the boy said, looking between the two. "you're.."

Mariah nodded. "Yep."

He smirked. "That's hot,"

Mariah's eyes narrowed playfully. "I'm not good at sharing." Turning back to Hilary, she gave a tug on her hair. "Let's go."

Hilary nodded, eyes still wide as she followed Mariah out the door and to her car.

"So sorry about that," Mariah said as she unlocked the doors. "First thing that popped out. I've really got to work on that, but you know, it makes life fun."

Hilary still hadn't said anything.

"I've got some water in the back if you'd like," Mariah offered. Hilary nodded. She handed Hilary the water bottle and watched as the gulped it down.

"I'm really sorry, Hilary," Mariah said again, "If I'd known you suffered from Mariah-phobia so bad I would have done something else."

"I'm not--" Hilary protested, looked at Mariah and the always present humored glint in her eye. She couldn't fool her.

"It's all right," Mariah assured. "No harm done. Though you probably can't go back in there. I can take you somewhere else, if you like."

Hilary sighed. She didn't really want to spend any time with Mariah. Not after what she said and what she did for her. "Just take me home,"

Mariah started the car. "Really? You didn't get your order because of me. I should treat you."

"You were watching me?"

"No, I noticed you walk in," Mariah chuckled. "I was there first."

"Oh," Hilary said.

"So where to?"

Hilary shook her head. "You really don't have to. I'm fine."

Mariah ignored her. "What are you in the mood for?"

Feeling resigned to her place, she said, "I don't care."

"Good, I know the perfect place." Mariah said, smirk in place as she sped down the street.

Mariah pulled into the empty spot and cut the engine. She waited for Hilary to start unbuckling but saw no movement. Looking over to Hilary, she noticed the girl staring out the window with a daze look in her eyes. Waving a hand in front of her and jiggling her keys to get the brunettes attention, Mariah jumped when the girl snapped to her.

"Uh, we're here," Mariah offered weakly. She knew people tended to believe that she was just full of self-confidence, and usually she was. But every once in a while, she got awkward, too.

Hilary rolled her ruby eyes and got out of the car. Turning around, she stalled.

"It's Wednesday's," Hilary gasped.

"Yeah," Mariah shrugged, heading for the door. "I kinda love this place."

"Me, too!" Hilary said as she followed the pink haired girl in. "I've been trying to get Tyson and Ray to come here for a while."

"Oh, well, I don't think you'll have trouble with that for a while," Mariah remarked as she found a seat for them. "I took Ray here the first day we had a tutoring session."

The expression on Hilary's face fell into nothing. She simply stared at Mariah. "Oh, I didn't know you two were so close."

Mariah shook her head in disagreement. "I didn't mean it like that. I actually, kinda kidnapped him. Sorry. I didn't mean to ruin for you."

Hilary scoffed, "Sure. Whatever."

"Hilary," Mariah said, a seriousness taking over her features. "I mean it. Ray and I are friends, but I'm not planning on taking him from you. I honestly don't know what your problem is, though. I'm just helping him pass math."

"You're changing him," Hilary explained, raising her voice. "into something like you."

"I'm completely free of any peer-pressure. I don't depend on others' thoughts. What's wrong with me?"

"To be so free and open isn't Ray," Hilary looked her in the eyes. "And I don't like him that way."

Mariah sighed, biting her lip in nervousness. "Look, I have this theory. We all have two sides, right? Or more if you think about it. We act differently when we're around different people. You and Tyson know that the real Ray that's different from his school self, and I think you like being privy to that side of him. What makes you mad is the thought that I might make that side more…public. Am I right?"

Hilary didn't have an answer. She knew what Mariah was talking about. Ray did have another side to his personality that he usually put away at school, as well as at home. She had that side, too. She figured everyone did, except Mariah. That's what was wrong with her.

"See?" Mariah asked when she saw she struck a cord with the other girl. "I think that you just don't like me, or the fact that I'm the one to bring it out. But you've got to know, when Ray is ready, we'll end our sessions and lose contact."

"That won't happen," Hilary said, "Ray likes you too much."

Mariah nodded her head from side to side slowly, as if considering the options. "That may be for now, but when the time comes, we'll fade. Slowly, but surely."

Hilary doubted Mariah. She knew Ray too well to know that now he was her friend, he wouldn't let her go. Hilary thought their group was fine the way it was and didn't need an extra person.

The rest of the dinner past in silence. An awkward silence, but still quiet.

* * *

Ray was sitting in his room staring at his math homework. How was he going to fix this problem with him, Tyson, and Hilary when he didn't know what Mariah was really thinking. How could he prove that Mariah wasn't as bad as she seemed.

His thoughts were interrupted when his mother walked into the room. She was holding his C graded paper in her hand. The one that he was proud of.

"I thought you said you got a tutor," she said, showing him the grade.

Ray furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "I did. That's a full grade higher than last time, Mom."

"I thought we said As,"

Ray sighed. "It takes time, Mom, but I will get the A I need."

"Well, you'd better hope you don't run out time." She turned on her heel and left, closing the door soundly behind her.

Ray slouched in his chair and ran a hand throw his long hair. Life was becoming complicated.

* * *

So sorry about the long wait and any mistakes through this chapter. Hopefully, now that my Wallflower story is coming to an end, I can focus on this one more. I also finally know where it's going now. There were so many directions this story could go in, but I've hopefully sorted them out.

I've gotten better in updating within the past few months, so it usually doesn't take me this long to update. If it ever does, please do think I've abounded the story. I try to avoid author notes. If I have something to say, I'll a least give a little piece of the story, so the update isn't completely useless.

Thank you, readers, and thank you, reviews.


	4. The Friendship Thing

Hey, sorry it's late...I hope you like it anyway.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

* * *

Mariah watched as Ray slouched over his homework, concentrating hard on one problem. His brow was drawn and his light eyes held a flicker of confusion.

"Need help," she offered lightly. Ray shook his head in denial. No, he did not need help. He could finish it on his own. Mariah sighed and went back to her own homework. English. She rolled her eyes. Really, it was a useless topic. If anyone asked Mariah, students should have to learn only the basics. The rest should be optional. But then again, people said the same about math. Still, the words involved in the story she was reading did give her a terrible headache.

"I need a break," Mariah chirped. "How about you?"

Ray lifted his head to look at her. "I really need to get this done." He said as he motioned to his math work.

Mariah chuckled. "Okay, but maybe it'd help if you took some time. Believe it or, taking a breather can help."

"I don't have the time," Ray rushed out, having already turned back to the paper in front of him.

Mariah narrowed her eyes. This was unusual Ray behavior. Her conclusion was that something was bothering him.

"All right," she said, and then grabbed his homework from under his pencil. She slid it into her folder and started walking away from the table. Ray stared in shock before following her from the library, ignoring the many stares he received.

"What are you doing!" He asked when they were free from the quiet room.

"Helping you," she replied with a giggle. She swayed from side to side of the empty hallway, avoiding Ray's tries at her folder. "I think you could do with a break. We can finish this later."

Suddenly Ray stopped. "Mariah, I don't think you understand! I need that now. It can't wait."

Mariah turned and stared that the usually calm Ray. He was tense, his hand reached out for the paper he demanded. His eyes were hard and angry. She'd never seen him like this before.

"Ray," she said; all humor had vanished from her voice. "what's wrong? You can tell me."

The dark haired boy swallowed hard. "I just need to finish my homework, Mariah, that's all."

Mariah shook her head. "What's got you so worked up? Why the rush?"

Ray put his hand down and relaxed a tiny bit. "Nothing," he sighed, "just a bit overworked, I guess."

The girl didn't believe him, but thought better of pushing him now. She pulled out his sheet and handed it to him. "I guess that's it for today, then. Call me if you need any help."

He put the work away and nodded.

"Do you need a ride," she continued.

"No." he replied softly. Mariah felt bad. She hadn't meant to upset him, only to cheer him up a little.

"All right," she whispered as she turned away, leaving him there in the hall.

Mariah drove home in silence. She didn't really know what to do with what had happened. Usually she didn't have to. She didn't know what was going through his mind and how to treat him. She supposed she should treat him the way she would like, and just let him deal with it. However, Ray seemed to like having another's input, so maybe she should try that.

Her thoughts were still scattered as she plopped on her bed downstairs. The room was dark with out the light on and the glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling were barely noticeable. Her hand felt its way to the crate by her bed that she used at a nightstand. She felt the phone under her fingers and brought it back up. She dialed the number by memory and brought the piece to the side of her face, brushing away her pink hair.

The rings were annoying, but her brother finally picked up with an annoyed "Hey".

"I need a bit of help." she said without replying to his simple hello.

Lee sighed heavily. "With what?"

"I've never really done the whole friend thing before," Mariah started, ignoring Lee's snort. "So what do you do when there is something bothering one?"

"Depends on the friend," Lee offered.

Mariah groaned. "We're not that close. I'm just helping him with math. "

"Then maybe you should stay out of it."

"But…"

"Mariah, just do whatever you feel like you should do."

Mariah lifted the phone away from her ear and stared at it. "What did you just say?" She asked when she put it back.

"I know that I usually discourage you're need to make a mockery of yourself, but you and your ways make you…you. I wouldn't want you any other way. So if you feel that you need to do something, then go for it."

"Thanks, Lee." she said. "That means a lot to me."

"Okay, glad to be of service." Lee said, clearly smiling on the other side. "I've got to go."

"Bye," Mariah said, "I love you."

"Love you, too." Lee replied before he hung up.

Mariah sighed as she put down the phone. No one would be home for hours and she really didn't feel like being alone. She needed to do something that would take her mind off of Ray. Things were getting complicated, and she didn't like complicated. She like straight forward, effortless, easy. She supposed that's why she was the way she was. There wasn't anything she hid from others. She was easy to understand, they just chose to make it difficult.

Running. That's what she'd do. She would put on her running shorts and tennis shoes, get her music and run. Run until she was sure she could sleep tonight without worrying about Ray. He's a big boy, she told herself as she dressed.

As she stretched before starting a slow jog, she wondered why she didn't think of it before. She loved running. It was like math: had a solution for every problem. It helped her think things through. Took her mind off the few problems in the world.

Mariah laughed as she felt the self-created breeze blow her pink hair back. She could already feel herself relax into the steady, familiar rhythm. She jogged her usual path, just losing herself in the sound of her music and the constant beats of her feet and heart. Nothing could touch her here; in a place where everything was good.

When the sun started to set that it was time to head home. She turned around and let the music carry her as she stayed in the daze of her own world. Yet, when she finally slowed down a little, her home was not where she was.

There were only a few lights one in the large house, but Ray's bedroom light was off. She really didn't want to wake him, though she knew that she was going to. Her music never lead her to where she didn't want to go. Maybe she hadn't actually escaped her problem with Ray as she had thought.

She slowly walked around to the side of the house, trying to be careful not to step on anything that would alert those still up. Then Mariah remember that this was Ray's place and the chances of his mother having anything in her front yard except for flowers was unlikely, so she walked a little faster.

His room was on the second floor and she wasn't a great climber. She looked around the barren yard for anything she could throw without breaking anything. Luckily, she'd found a few small pebbles. Maybe Ray was use to nighttime visitors, though she doubt the thought as soon as it passed, it made her wondered.

Mariah through one knowing that she was going to have to throw a few more to wake Ray up, if her brother was anything to go by. She throw the second with a little more force. Hopefully he's waking up, she contemplated. She really didn't want to face his mother.

She was preparing to throw the third when his window opened and his head along with pale curtains peered over the side.

"Mariah," She was surprised to find that it wasn't disbelief that color his voice, but something different.

"Hey, sorry I woke you," she replied weakly, feeling a tiny bit guilty for being there. "You're a light sleeper." she added as an afterthought.

Ray sighed. "I wasn't asleep. I was reading."

"Really?" Mariah asked as if it was unheard of. "I didn't see a light."

"It's a small bedside lamp," Ray explained, "You wouldn't have seen it."

"Oh," was all that Mariah could offer.

They sat in silence for a moment. For the first time, Mariah felt awkward around Ray. Like she was messing up. She'd never felt that way before. Everything she did had always just worked out for her. Messing up in her life wasn't something she was use to, but here now, trying to…be a friend with Ray, she felt wrong. She had a sinking feeling as to why, still, she was afraid to dig deeper into that feeling.

"What are you doing here?" Ray finally asked. He seemed curious, but not surprised that she was really there. Had he expected her just because or did he already know her so well that he just knew that she would eventually show up? She found that she didn't really want to know and just let it be. Some things where better not knowing.

"I just…" Mariah started. She didn't really know why she was there, she just was. "wanted to talk?"

Ray nodded, before looking back inside. "Hold on a minute," he said before slipping out of view. Minutes later shocked Mariah by appearing around the corner.

"Oh, Hey," she said, trying to brush off the feeling she got when she saw him close up for the first time since their fight. "I wasn't expecting you to come down here."

"I didn't want to talk in the house," Ray explained, and Mariah nodded, some pink hair falling into her face, which she ignored. "So what did you want to talk about?"

Mariah looked away before looking back. "I'm sorry," she said, saying what she felt was right and hoping that he thought so, too. "I'm not good at the friend thing, so when something's brothering one I don't know what to do."

"You're doing fine," Ray assured, seeming to understand exactly what she was saying.

"I didn't mean to upset you this afternoon," she continued, "but I didn't know what was going on, and you don't have to tell me, but I just wanted to help without knowing how. Um, I just didn't want you to be upset."

Ray nodded. "Thank you,"

Mariah laughed at herself. "Though I suppose you already have enough friends to cheer you up,"

"Yeah," Ray smiled, "But I like having friends."

She nodded, not knowing what to say, but knew that he knew what she meant. "Did you ever fix what was bothering you?" she asked instead.

"I'm working on it," he answered. Mariah knew that he wasn't planning on telling her until it was over with. That was fine with her. He could keep his secrets.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" she continued.

Ray nodded, a smaller smile creeping on to his face. Mariah didn't know what he found amusing, but she thought that it had to do with her since she was the only moving in a five foot radius of him.

"Ray?"

Both teens visibly tense as a dark haired, golden eyed woman appeared around the corner.

"Mother," Ray gulped. He wasn't expecting her to come out, nor had he wanted her to.

Mariah looked at Ray's mother. Ray was obviously her son. Though this wasn't the first time she'd ever seen Ray's mom, she was again struck by the beauty and intensity of the woman.

"Mother, this is Mariah, my tutor," he continued, shifting his lighter golden eyes from one to the other. "Mariah, this is my mother."

Mariah stuck out her hand, which the older woman gently took in her own before letting go. "It's nice to met you," Mariah smiled. She wondered how the woman would react. Mariah knew that she remembered her, but wasn't sure what she would do now.

"The same," she said stiffly.

Again, silence feel over them. The woman's dark eyes stayed trained on Mariah as Ray's shifted endlessly between them.

Mariah searched her mind for an excuse to be there. Nothing would work with this newcomer. Suddenly, she remembered the small pebbles left in her hand, and as so many times before, Mariah said the first thing that came to mind.

"I was just stopping by to give Ray my lucky math pebbles." She smiled sweetly as she said it.

Ray stared at her as his mother questioned, "Lucky math pebbles?"

Mariah rolled with it. It was too late to do anything else. "Yeah, I used to carry these in my pocket on days I had a math test. Well, it worked. So I thought that I'd pass them on, as a tutor, of course." She held out her hand to Ray and he open his, still staring at her. "Here, Ray, my luck…pebbles."

She looked into his eyes, and she realized that he wasn't just staring at her. He was trying not to laugh. "Thank you, Mariah," he managed with a solid voice.

"You're surely welcome." Mariah replied. "Well, I'd better get home. Ray, I hope you do well on you're test tomorrow. Mrs. Kon, it was a pleasure."

"Yes it was," she said, clearly not believing a single word Mariah had said or meaning her own."

"I'll be going then."

With a discreet wink, Mariah quickly walked toward the street for her final jog home. Somehow, she knew that the next day would be something else.

--

She was right, of course, in her assumption that the school day would different from the others she had recently experienced.

Not one word from Ray. None. Zero. Zilch. Goose-eggs. If she were playing tennis, she would call in love. Mariah got a little kick from that one, laughing quietly at her own joke.

Which was funny, because she usually saw him a few times a day in the halls during a passing. They gave waved for nodded. He would smile at her, but continue with his previous conversation, usually one with Hilary lacking Tyson. Mariah discovered it was because she had the next period with him while Tyson was on the other side of the school.

But on that day, she hadn't seen him, heard him, or smelled a smoke single. It was like he had disappeared into thing air…

Or he was avoiding her.

Mariah suspected that her second guess was more possible than the first. She just hoped that he wouldn't decided to skip out on their tutoring session. He really needed the help for the upcoming test.

Of course when she did make it to the library, she found their usual table empty. Mariah rolled her eyes and determined that she would give the habitually early boy thirty minutes to show his cowardly face before hunting him down. The fact that he had a routine would make that very easy.

…

…

……

Thirty minutes up. The hunt was on!

* * *

So this is short, but it's been a while. Sorry for any mistakes, as always. I hope you enjoyed this. I was planning on adding another part, but decided that it would be a little over the top for this chapter…and a great start for next chapter, just to help with flow, which is what I'm working on, so if you could give me some feedback on that and anything else, if you want.

I just wanted to mention to any KaixHil fans that might actually be reading this, but I have a freewebs site in my profile. There are around 4 to 5 stories with the first chapter up there. There's a vampire story as well as some others. They have been lightly edited, so there are some mistakes. So if you're bored or something, head over there. There are also two wallflower first chapters.

Again thanks for reading and thanks for reviewing. Sorry for the mistakes, and check my site if you want to.

Later.


	5. Corrupting Youthful Innocence

So this came out faster than I thought it would. I hope you like it. This chapter reveals a lot about the characters past in very few words. Actually…just two things are revealed, so don't worry about it. It's also a bit shorter. Sorry.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

I apologize ahead of time for the characters being out of character even in my story. Ray and Tyson especially. But it is apart of the story.

* * *

Ray wasn't a very good hider, Mariah decided as she spied him standing with Tyson and Hilary under a tree right outside of the school. It was Hilary who noticed her first as she approached, quickly silencing the conversation. Ray and Tyson turned to face her as Hilary to her. Mariah stopped close to them with a wide smile on her face.

"You know, Ray," she laughed, "when you're hiding from someone, you shouldn't hid in the open."

"I wasn't hiding." He clarified.

Mariah returned his comment with a confused look. If he wasn't avoiding her, then what was he doing? Just ignoring her?

Tyson nudged Ray's side and he sighed. "I'm going to find a new tutor," he said.

Mariah was shocked. "If the whole 'lucky math pebbles' was too much…"

"No, no," Ray shook his head. "It wasn't that. I just think I need to…find someone else."

"Why?" He should know that she wouldn't give up on him just like that.

Ray seemed reluctant to answer. He just stared at her, his golden eyes pleading with her to just drop it. Mariah saw something deeper when she looked. It seemed that there was some hope swirling in them. Hope for what, Mariah didn't know, but she was going to get to the bottom of it.

"Why?" she asked again. Mariah was determined to get it out of him, even if she had to drag it out.

"Because his mom said so." Mariah's bright eyes shifted to Tyson who had answered. She was surprised by the tone of his voice. He almost seemed offended that she was there. She was also surprised that it wasn't Hilary who was telling her to back-off in so little words.

Instead, Mariah noted, Hilary was staying quiet in the background.

She turned back to Ray. He was still looking at her. A sad, dark color seemed to take over his eyes as they stared blankly ahead.

"You're mother?" Mariah chuckled, "Now, Ray, we've had this discussion before. Do you really want to stop studying with me? Or is it just because your mother said so?"

"Some people don't like getting in trouble," Tyson answered for Ray again.

Mariah snorted. "What? Ray, can't you talk for yourself?" She locked eyes with Ray, hoping that she could haul some words from the silent boy.

"Why don't you just leave him alone,"

Mariah felt her temper snapping. "Tyson, when I'm talking to you, I'll say you're name. Now, please let me find out what's going on with Ray."

Tyson glared. "No. I'm not letting my friend get in trouble because you like to play mind games."

"Mind games. That's the last thing I'm doing. I'm actually very straight forward." She laughed at him. "But you wouldn't know that, would you, Tyson?"

Turning back to Ray, she smiled. "Would you like to know why your mother doesn't like me, Ray. I myself found out a few years ago."

Ray's expression perked at that. She had information that he hadn't been able to get anywhere else.

"See, a few years ago me and my father were in the store buying some things. My mom was going out of town with Lee and we had the house to ourselves. We had decided that we were going to do everything that annoyed my mom while she was gone.

While at the store, we ran into someone. My dad seemed to know her really well and they talked for a minute. When she finally noticed me, she glared at me. She didn't like me too much. I figured it was because I look so much like my mom; with the pink hair and all." Mariah paused, scrutinizing Ray's reaction. "Can you guess what happened?"

The three stayed quiet. Hilary seemed uncomfortable. Tyson looked as though he thought she was just playing more "mind games". Ray, however, seemed to shocked to really have an expression.

"It's really simple. See, you have one and one, which is two; an even number, a comfortable number for most. Everyone knows two. It's easy. It's easy to multiply and easy to divide." Mariah was amused by her example. She knew that she was doing it just for Ray's benefit, but it was fun nonetheless.

"But when you add another, you get three. People are uncomfortable with three. It changes for even to odd every other number. It's not as easy as five, and easy to get missed up. People can miss-count three. The solution is to get rid of one. Make it easy again."

Mariah smirked. "One is the loneliest number." she said. "Now, if my mom and dad each represent one of the numbers, guess who would represent the other."

Tyson no longer seemed offended, but more confused. "I'm not following."

"She saying," Hilary said, annoyed, "that her dad and Ray's mom used to be together, but broke up because of her mom."

"Bingo," Mariah winked one of her cheerful golden eyes.

Tyson's eyes widen in understanding, but Ray still stayed the same. Not really reacting, but not expressionless either.

"Now, you have one decision to make, Ray," Mariah said more seriously. "Are you going to continue letting me tutor you or are you going to let Mommy's prejudice get in the way?"

Both Hilary and Tyson looked at Ray. His features harden and his eyes set in determination.

"No!" Tyson said as he recognized the sign. "Hilary, do something."

Hilary shrugged helplessly. "You know how I feel about education, Tyson. Nothing should get in the way of it."

Mariah smirked, her golden eyes meeting Hilary's ruby. They had an understanding now. Hilary knew that Mariah was the best thing for Ray currently. She could get him out of under his mother's thumb where he could really be himself.

Tyson groaned, losing hope in Hilary and trying himself. "Ray, man, it's not worth it. Your mom said to stay away from her. You're just asking for trouble."

"Tyson, shut up!" Hilary said. "Let Ray choose for himself."

"You don't care if he gets in trouble as long as he has straight As," Tyson argued. "I, on the other hand, will have no one to talk to if he gets grounded."

"Yes," Hilary rolled her eyes, "I feel nothing for my friends. Get a life, Tyson, and stop being so selfish."

Mariah ignored them and focused on Ray. She could already tell his answer by the look in his eye, but she wanted him to say it out loud. He had to hear it for himself. He had to know that that was his decision.

Finally, he opened his mouth and said, "I'll see you tomorrow,"

He said it with such finality, that even Tyson didn't argue with him. It was the decision he had made for himself and nothing was going to change his mind.

Mariah cocked on pink eyebrow at him. Slowly, she looked around the school yard. Only a few students still loitered around. Turning back to Ray, she challenged, "What's wrong with now?"

"The library's closed," he pointed out, smiling slightly.

"But my house isn't." she replied instantly.

Ray looked at her. He didn't seem sure of idea. Mariah figured that he was afraid of pushing it too far.

"It'll be a big message to you're mother," Mariah offered, not really sure if he'd go for the bait.

Luckily for her, Ray was in a challenging mood. She smiled to herself as he started walking to her car, leaving the three others behind him in his finally decision.

The pink haired girl turned back to the two others. "You're welcome to join us if you're that worried about my mind games and his education."

Hilary was willing to come along and even seemed to jump at the chance. Tyson was hesitant. He stared after his two friends with a look of longing as well as betrayal.

"Tyson," Mariah said quietly. "I'm not trying to hurt him or steal him away from you. That's why I offered."

Tyson slightly turned to her. "It doesn't change anything, does it?" he said before walking away. Mariah stared after him, wondering what he meant. Usually she was the one no on understood.

Mariah drove the few short blocks home in silence. She had turned the radio down to make things more comfortable for the other two, but it only had the opposite effect. Hilary was in the backseat trying to make herself invisible. It was like she was regretting her decision already. Ray sat beside her trying to seem calm and assured of himself, but she could tell that he was preparing to be punished. He, too, seemed to be regretting what had happened.

She was at a lost as to how to help them. She'd never had to make others feel at easy before. They just didn't like her and dealt with it. She had only ever tried to comfortable and that was easy.

"So I was thinking that it would really suck if the school had uniforms, you know," She began in her usual way, hoping that it didn't come out wrong. Both passengers looked at her with curious eyes, as if they were surprised that she was talking at all.

"I bet you would have a hard time following it," Hilary said quietly from the backseat.

Mariah nodded in agreement. "Oh, yeah. I'd probably have to change schools."

"I don't think I'd like wearing the same thing everyday," Ray added. It amazed how it still shocked him that Mariah could just talk about nothing and still make him forget most of his troubles.

"Me neither," she said. "Or is it 'either'? I never got that right."

Ray and Hilary laughed as Mariah reveled in the feeling of doing a job well done.

The laughing continued as she drove down her street, narrowing in on her house. Driving up, she was astonished to see a familiar car sitting on the curb at her neighbor's. She couldn't possibly hide the delight that went through her as she pulled into her driveway.

"Come on," she said as she jumped from the car and started to stroll over the yard. Hilary and Ray exchanged looks before following close behind her. They entered the neighbor's garage to find another car with its hood up and a body under it.

Mariah laughed with joy. "When did you two get back in town?" she asked the half-body. It brought itself out from under the hood to reveal pale, muscled arms, red hair and blue eyes. Like Mariah's, Hilary observed, they seemed to hold a certain humor in them.

"Just this morning," he said. "We were passing through and thought we'd pay our old friends a visit."

Mariah chuckled. "Or thought that you could get a few free meals and a place to crash." she clarified.

The smiling red head snickered. "That might have crossed our minds." His eyes seemed to find a way behind Mariah to her two followers. "Mariah, you're not taking hostages, are you."

"Well, I have to get my money some how," She shrugged carelessly, "And working just requires too much…work."

"Well, they look like friends," he said, "I didn't know you had those."

Mariah just smiled. "This is Ray and Hilary," she said as an introduction, pointing to each of them respectively. The other stuck out his hand to shake theirs' after wiping them off.

"Tala," he said as he grasped Hilary's hand before Mariah could introduce him. His eyes lingered on Hilary for a moment (long enough to make her blush and turn away), before turning back to Mariah.

"So, how'd you trick them into being your friends?" Tala asked, smirking.

Mariah gave a smug look in return. "I offered them my wits of math." she said seductively Tala snorted. "In other words, I'm tutoring Ray. Hilary just came along for the kicks."

"We do like kicks," Tala said as he turned back to the car.

"So where's Kai?" Mariah asked, following him under the hood.

"He got caught speeding early," Tala answered, "He's getting a lecture."

Mariah came back up and rolled her eyes at Ray and Hilary. "Will he ever learn?" she asked sarcastically.

"I hope he doesn't," Tala laughed. "I have too much fun."

Mariah snorted. "That's mean, Tala."

"Tough," he replied.

"Well, we should get going," Mariah said a moment later. "I'm glad you're back, Tala. Tell Kai I said hi."

Tala grunted his acknowledgement as the three walked out. Mariah noticed the other girl turn her head as she they left, taking one last look at the boy she'd just met.

"So that was Tala," Mariah said, more to Hilary than Ray.

Hilary chewed her bottom lip. "Did he graduate already?" she asked, trying to make it sound casual. "I've never seen him."

Mariah smiled. This was what she wanted. "He graduated a year ago. He didn't go to our school, though. He did, once, but the principle had a problem with him. Tala went to another school; one for bad boys."

The brunette glanced away, back towards the garage. "Is he bad?"

"He's rough, but kind," Mariah answered honestly. Tala had a few issues to work out, but he wasn't dangerous.

"Oh," Hilary replied, looking forward again. Mariah could see that she was already berating herself for even considering such a stupid thing. Ray was kindly standing aside and letting them talk.

They made it back to Mariah's house. Hilary did some of her own homework while Mariah studied with Ray. When they were done, Mariah made some snakes and they watched some television, just so Ray could go home late.

When Mariah finally came home after dropping both of them off, she was glad to see her living room lights on. She needed some time with her mom. She also noticed that the garage lights next door were on. She smiled as she headed over. Again, she found Tala bent over the engine.

"Don't you ever take a break?" she questioned and then laughed as he jumped up.

Tala flashed his blue eyes at her as rubbed his sore head. "Kai's just getting some water." he said. "You just drop the others off?"

"You know, if you weren't next door, I'd say you were stalking me." Mariah answered in her usual silly tone.

Tala smirked and went back to work. "So, are you almost done corrupting Ray's youthful innocence or are you just starting."

"Neither," she said. Then cheerfully adding, "But I am ruining his relationship with his mother."

Tala guffawed. "And you call me mean."

"Speaking of corrupting youth innocence, are you planning on corrupting Hilary's?" Mariah asked non-too slyly.

Tala stilled for a moment before continuing.

"So you were checking her out," Mariah laughed. "I knew it."

"Mariah," Tala warned.

"What?"

Tala came back up and went over to the tool box on the other side of the garage without sparing her a glance. "You know what. It's illegal."

"Kai broke the law just this morning," Mariah tried to reason.

"Kai was speeding," Tala pointed out. "Seducing a little girl is a bit different."

"It's a bit fun," she teased. "And she's not a little girl."

"There's at least a three years difference," Tala grunted.

"So? My parents are five years apart."

"How long does it take to get some water!" he groaned, clearly upset with the conversation.

Seemly called, Kai appeared with two bottles in his hand. He stopped when he notice Hilary sitting on one of the barstools.

"Hey, Kai," she smiled with a wink.

Kai smirk. "Mariah."

"Jail bait," Tala coughed.

Mariah rolled her eyes. "I've got to get home anyway," she said as she stood up. "How long will you guys be here?"

"A little while," Kai answered quickly.

Mariah laughed. "Good." She started walking away. Before she left, she turned back and said, "By the way, Tala, I don't think Hilary would mind you corrupting her youthful innocence."

* * *

So we found out some interesting things in this chapter.

Most likely, the Tala-Hilary thing will be background or won't happen at all. Since she is underage and all that. Not that Mariah seems to care.

For those of you who picked up on the Kai-Mariah thing at the end, this will be a RayxMar story. But conflict makes a story interesting, so long as it has a solution.

Sorry for any mistakes that my tired eyes missed. I actually wrote this in one sitting, which is unusual for me. But I just got two new CDs so that means I can sit at the computer longer. Feel free to point the mistakes out.

I'm working on flow right now, so if some of you could mention that.

Takes for reading. All of you are appreciated greatly.


End file.
